


end of the path

by triggeringthehealing (froggydarren)



Series: FullmoonFiclet Entries [45]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 10:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8010085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froggydarren/pseuds/triggeringthehealing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They’ve been dating a while now, and Derek has gone pretty much by the textbook of wooing. Dinners, date nights at the movies, even flowers -- all things that Derek did for and with Stiles. Still, it always feels a little surprising at first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	end of the path

**Author's Note:**

  * For [simplyn2deep](https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplyn2deep/gifts).



> Written for the [Full Moon Ficlet](http://fullmoon-ficlet.livejournal.com/420581.html) challenge on Livejournal - prompt #189: picnic
> 
> Happy birthday, Liz! <3

“So, why did we need to drag ourselves all the way into the woods?” Stiles asks, trying to keep his breathing steady. 

He’s staring at what Derek has declared to be a path, but is more just a gap between trees and shrubs, barely wide enough for a person to pass. That’s why he’s walking behind Derek who somehow -- damn werewolf  _ everything _ \-- doesn’t have any issues staying upright, even with the bag on his shoulders. The same one that Stiles attempted to lift when Derek parked the car at the edge of the forest, before they started walking, and failed miserably. 

“It’s been almost an hour,” Stiles whines, then promptly trips over a root he missed and his hands flail around until one of them hits a tree trunk and he finds balance again. 

“It’s been twenty minutes,” Derek says as he glances over his shoulder back at Stiles with a smile. 

The expression is still new enough -- especially when directed at him -- that Stiles’ heart skips a little, and he can’t help but return the smile. Then he remembers that he’s not happy about the trek they’re on, and his face falls. 

“We’re almost there, anyway,” Derek tells him, turning back to the path ahead. 

“Where exactly is  _ here _ ?” Stiles asks, then swears under his breath as his foot catches on… something, he’s not exactly eager to investigate what. “Is there going to be a ritual sacrifice? Because I’d like to remind you that I don’t count as virginal anymore, which  _ you _ of all people should be well aware of.”

“I am aware, thank you,” Derek replies, and when he glances back this time, there’s a smirk on his lips that  _ does things _ to Stiles’ everything. 

Mostly to his libido and dick though, because the last occasion of making sure Stiles was no longer available for any rituals involving virgins was only a few hours ago. With Derek very much present for the occasion. 

When Stiles trips a few steps later, it’s most definitely because his mind has drifted off to replaying the previous night. And morning. He curses again under his breath, and continues stomping on the path, looking at his feet and for anything that might be trying to make him trip. 

“Come on, we’re here,” Derek says a few minutes later.

Stiles looks up and startles at the sight of light breaking through the leaves and trees -- his focus on the path means he missed that the shrubbery around them isn’t as dense anymore. Of course, two steps after he stops watching out for roots, he trips over one, and this time it’s enough to send him stumbling forward, his balance shot. 

Because his eyes close automatically as he’s falling, when he collides with something, he isn’t sure if it’s Derek or a tree trunk. Hands hoisting him back upright are the answer to that unspoken question, and Stiles opens his eyes again, then blinks a few times when the light is too bright. 

“Where are we?” He asks, refocusing his eyes. 

Derek doesn’t answer, and Stiles lets his eyes roam over the space they walked into. It’s a small area, a little meadow surrounded by trees on all sides but one. There’s a gap in the tree line, and it opens to empty space with a clear sight of the skyline. Stiles walks closer, and then he sees it -- the meadow’s edge is on top of a cliff, and the view shows him the entirety of Beacon Hills. 

“Wow,” he says as he takes the sight in. “I didn’t know this was here.” 

“It’s kind of out of the way,” Derek says quietly from a few steps behind Stiles. 

“No kidding,” Stiles says, but he chuckles instead of grumbling about the walk. “It’s awesome, I can see.... Everything.” 

He doesn’t hear anything from behind him, so he turns around. His jaw drops when he sees that there’s a blanket on the ground now, and a few containers with what can only be food. 

“You… wow,” Stiles says, and walks over to where Derek is still pulling stuff out of his backpack. “Wow.” 

It’s not the first time he’s been rendered speechless, but there are things that continue catching him off guard, especially when they involve Derek. Things like laughter, smiles, silliness,  _ romance _ . They’ve been dating a while now, and Derek has gone pretty much by the textbook of wooing. Dinners, date nights at the movies, even flowers -- all things that Derek did for and with Stiles. Still, it always feels a little surprising at first. 

“I thought the novelty would wear off at some point,” Stiles says, sitting down on the blanket. “But you keep coming up with new things that I would never have expected. I mean, who knew that you’d even know what a picnic is,” he grins as he finishes. 

Derek gives him what is probably supposed to be an exasperated look, but the blush on his cheeks ruins that effect. Stiles smiles, and ducks his hand, biting back the confession that he wants to save for when there’s no food around. For a moment when there’s absolutely no room for doubt that his feelings are for Derek only, when it can’t be mistaken for misplaced gratitude for being given food or a heat of the moment blurt. 

Because he loves Derek, and moments like this make him want to shout it at the top of his lungs. Stiles has grown out of grand gestures, out of over the top declarations that don’t fit what they have.  _ But maybe _ , he thinks as he looks over the feast that Derek’s setting up,  _ maybe there’s room for one big thing _ . 

**Author's Note:**

>   
> [my tumblr](http://froggydarren.tumblr.com/) || [my sterek fic tumblr](http://triggeringthehealing.tumblr.com/)  
> 


End file.
